Lights out

SEVERAL housing estates in Shetland will have their street lighting reduced in response to public demand.

A further 17, including Whitelaw in Aith, Hillside in Voe, Stackhoull in Sullom and the Wethersta industrial estate will have their lights switched off completely and lamp posts removed.

Reducing street lighting across Shetland was regularly mentioned during a recent consultation on where council spending cuts should fall.

However the measures approved by the environment and transport committee on Wednesday will only save £13,426 a year.

It will save the local authority a further £140,400 in capital costs over the next 25 years not having to replace lamp posts.

However removing lamp posts and other equipment from the sites will cost over £85,000.

Roads team leader Neil Hutcheson said that further reductions were planned to reach the target of saving the council £25,000 per annum.